Vader is awful about getting his ears cleaned, it takes two of us to pin him down because he gets flailing and mouthing so bad. One ear is significantly dirtier than the other, why we don't know but he's dug it until it's scratched open in a few spots.

Any ideas for a way to get him to stop digging at it? We've cleaned it, it just gets dirty again from him shoving his foot in it with the scabs itching and is just a repeating cycle. I have the ear solution from the vet for our Floppy Ear's dirty ears, but all of these have alcohol to help with the drying so he just howls and rubs his ear against more stuff.

Courtney

01-03-2014 06:47 PM

I would take him to the vet for his ears to be swabbed. He could have a ear yeast infection which can be painful.

my boy diesel

01-03-2014 06:51 PM

Definitey vet visit where they can sedate him and flush it good. he could even have stuff down in it that's irritating it and you can damage it by trying to do it yourself

Magwart

01-03-2014 07:04 PM

When I've had dogs with ear infections (foster dogs), the vet told me to clean daily with a solution of vinegar and water (i'm using 1 part apple cider vinegar, 2 parts water), and we clean gently with sterile gauze. She thought the alcohol solutions are too painful for a dog with bleeding stuff in the ears (makes sense to me!!!). We had to follow up daily with Otomax (RX ointment) for a while too.

If there's an infection, you definitely want the vet to prescribe something to knock it out -- this does require a vet visit, as others have mentioned.

The vinegar solution has been great at clearing out yeasty, crusty gunk from a senior foster dog who lived outside and had years of grime caked in her ears. It's gentle enough for daily cleaning and she actually likes it instead of fussing about it hurting. We are finally seeing some nice pink skin peaking through all the black crusties! Woohoo!!!

You might ask your vet if this is an option.

Darth_Ariel

01-03-2014 07:37 PM

I can't get him in to the vet before the 8th because that's when he already has an appointment for getting fixed, but was hoping for that thank you Magwart!

His ear wasn't bad before he kept thrashing during cleanings and us not being able to get in there to clean it, so I don't know if it got too much bacteria to create an infection or if it's just the dirt he's mashed into it. I'm hoping the vinegar will make it more gentle on his ears, nothing makes you feel more guilty than your puppy following you trying to do a walking face scratch to emphasize he doesn't like the alcohol solution in his ears.

Packen

01-03-2014 07:42 PM

Sounds like ear mites or a yeast infection. If you can't goto vet right now then next best way would be to mildly soak a doubled up paper towel in 50:50 vinegar:water solution and gently wipe ear inside, go deep (daily).

carmspack

01-03-2014 07:49 PM

ZYMOX

then change the diet

Eiros

01-03-2014 07:57 PM

I second the Zymox.

I think you can flush the ear with it rather than having to hold him and just getting what you can see... You could damage the ear if you try to go any deeper with a swab. If you put the liquid down into the ear they just shake it out, don't they?

Since he's getting knocked down on the 8th, have the vet do a deep clean at the same time.

I'll second Carmen on Zymox. It is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral.

David Winners

Courtney

01-03-2014 08:04 PM

I used Zymox when Rusty had yeasty ears as a pup. It cleared it right up (suggested for my MIL dog with floppy ears & worked great for her). I now use the Zymox ear cleaning solution as part of our grooming routine.